Adhesive bandage package unit



Jan. 30, 1962 T. H. WALL 3,018,881

ADHESIVE BANDAGE PACKAGE'UNIT Filed June 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan.30, 1962 T. H. WALL 3,018,881

ADHESIVE BANDAGE PACKAGE UNIT Filed June 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2/NI/E/VTO)? 7/ 7'10MA5 hf WALL,

United States Patent 3,018,881 ADHESIVE BANDAGE PACKAGE UNIT Thomas H.Wall, St. Paul, Minn, assiguor to Minnesota Mining and ManufacturingCompany, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 2, 1960,Ser. No. 33,528 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) This invention relates toadhesive bandages and more particularly relates to new and usefulindividual adhesive bandage package units.

Adhesive bandages may comprise simply a strip of adhesive tape providinga flexible backing coated on one surface thereof with a pressuresensitive adhesive. Usually, however, the flexible backing also has anabsorbent compress or pad fixed to the adhesive surface to contact theWound. While the most prevalent adhesive bandage shape is rectangularwith the compress or pad, when used, being fixed to the adhesive surfaceintermediate the ends of the strip, adhesive bandages of othergeometrical shapes tailored to cover specific kinds of wounds, as, forexample, circular patch bandages for puncture wounds, are available.Although this invention is directed particularly to the rectangularshaped adhesive bandages, as will be apparent from the descriptionfollowing, the invention is adaptable to packaging other shapes ofadhesive bandages.

Adhesive bandages of the kinds noted are conventionally individuallypackaged and thereafter sterilized in sealed packages whereby eachadhesive bandage will be kept sterile and sealed against contaminationfrom handling until the package is opened. customarily, these adhesivebandages are first provided with removable protective liners over theadhesive areas and the so-linered backing thereafter packaged in a paperor similar wrapping, the package serving solely to house the sterilebandage therewithin until opening.

Application of the adhesive bandage to the wound is usually facilitatedby loose, gripping tabs on the adhesive liners to facilitate strippingor peeling of the liners from the adhesive of the adhesive bandage andat the same time to provide handles for applying the bandage during thestripping operation.

Although in the patented art there are suggestions of some variations inthis procedure, wherein the package may serve some function in additionto merely covering the bandage, fully effective package utilization hasnot heretofore been realized. Thus, while it has been suggested that thepackage be so formed that the adhesive liners may be grasped during thepackage opening operation to position the adhesive for applicationduring package opening (Patent No. 2,880,863, Patent No. 2,889,039),independent adhesive liners are still required; and, although it hasbeen suggested that the package form the adhesive liner (Patent No.2,897,961), a separate finger tab is provided to position the bandageduring package opening, requiring a two-step application procedure.

It is an object of this invention to provide an individual adhesivebandage package unit wherein the bandage package, in addition tocovering the bandage and serving as the bandage adhesive liner, may befurther used as the sole means to position the bandage for applicationto the skin during package opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide an individual adhesivebandage package unit having finger tabs provided thereon whichfacilitate opening the package and thereafter serve as bandagepositioning handles to apply the bandage to the wounded area of the skinwithout release thereof during any phase of the package opening orbandage positioning, and without the fingers coming into contact withany part of the adhesive bandage.

'ice

Another object of the invention is to provide an individual adhesivebandage package unit which is so formed that the package openingprocedure is facile and self evident and with the positioning of thebandage for application following as the natural consequence of the actof opening the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide an individual adhesivebandage package unit of greater compactness and reduced size for morecompact storage than heretofore possible while nevertheless beingreadily exposed and deftly positionable for application to the skin byopening the package.

The foregoing objects as well as other objects and advantages areachieved by the individual adhesive bandage package unit of thisinvention as will be apparent from the detailed description followingtaken in conjunc tion with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an adhesive bandage package unit madein accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package unit of FIGURE 1 takensubstantially along section line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the package unit of FIGURE 1 inpartially opened position;

FIUURE 4 is a side elevational view of the package of FIGURE 1 incompletely open position and with the adhesive bandage positioned forapplication to the skin;

FIGURE 5 is a front view of a continuous web with bandage compresses orpads thereon to illustrate one manner in which the adhesive bandage ofFIGURE 4 may be formed;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the web of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic illustration of the manner in which the web ofFIGURE 5 may be slit;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of continuous strips of adhesivebandage of the web as illustrated in FIGURE 7 peelably adhered on a webof package forming material;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged side elevational view of the continuous web ofFIGURE 8 disclosing a subsequent step wherein a folding bar is employedto grasp a portion of the adhesive bandage forming strip material in theprocess of the package unit formation;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 illustrating the movement of thefolding bar in folding a row of adhesive bandages into position withinthe lined areas of the package panel forming web;

FIGURE 11 is a front elevational view of a portion of the packagematerial forming web disclosing the row of individual bandages of FIGURE10 folded to the position shown in FIGURE 10 with the folding barremoved and the free end portions of bandage package flaps temporarilyheld in place;

FIGURE 12 is an end view of the web portion of FIGURE 11 with a coveringlayer of packaging material applied thereto;

FIGURE 13 is a schematic illustration of a heat-sealing operationsealing the package forming layers to one another, and;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged view of the heat-sealing of the panel flap ofthe package to the package panels;

FIGURE 15 is a cross sectional view through an adhesive bandage packageunit of this invention of somewhat different form from that shown inFIGURES 1 through 4;

FIGURE 16 is a side elevational view of the adhesive bandage packageunit of FIGURE 15 shown in its partially opened position;

FIGURE 17 is a side elevational view of another modification.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail attention is firstdirected to FIGURES 1-4 wherein a 3 preferred form of adhesive bandagepackage unit of this invention is illustrated, the package unit beingdesignated in its entirety by the numeral 10. The package unit comprisesa package 11 composed of a pair of thin flexible essentially rectangularcovering panels 12 and 14 having a folded adhesive bandage 16 disposedtherebetween. The panels 12 and 14 at one set of their ends are providedwith fingertabs 18 and 20 respectively for opening the package.

The package panels 12 and 14 between the adhesive bandage 16 is foldablydisposed are readily, rupturably sealably joined to one another around aperimeter or periphery within which is enclosed the adhesive bandage 16.The folded adhesive bandage 16 within the package 11 comprises -aflexible backing 22 in the form of an adhesive strip or the like havinga pressure sensitive adhesive 19 on one surface thereof. On anintermediate portion of the strip an absorbent pad or compress 24 isadhered to the adhesive surface 19, the compress facing the insidesurface of the panel 12 of the package. The end portions 26 and 28respectively of the flexible backing 22 are folded under theintermediate compress carrying portion 30 thereof so that the adhesivesurface of the end portion 28 contacts the inside surface of thecovering panel 14 and end portion 26 is disposed between end portion 28and intermediate portion 30 of backing 22.

Covering panel 12 is provided with a flap 32 which extends between thefolded end portions 26 and 28 of the adhesive bandage and to one surfaceof which the adhesive surface of the end portion 26 of the bandage 16 ispeelably or strippably adhered. The flap 32 may be integrally attachedas part of the panel 12 or, as is illustrated, independently attachedthereto. Regardless of how attached, the flap 32 remains attached to thepanel 12 with suflicient strength to prevent separation therefrom uponseparation of the panels 12 and 14 from one another and upon peeling ofthe adhesive end portion 26 therefrom. As is apparent in the drawing,the flap 32 is attached to the panel 12. at the end of this panelopposite the pulling tab 18.

Thus, the flaps 32 of the panel 12 serves as a strippable or peelableliner for the adhesive end portion 26 of the adhesive bandage 16 and theinside wall surface of the panel 14 serves as the strippable liner forthe adhesive surface of the end portion 28 of the adhesive bandage 16 sothat the package 11 serves both as protective covering and protectiveadhesive liner for the folded bandage.

To open the so formed package, the tabs 18 and are simply grasped andpulled away from one another as is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4.Referring first to FIGURE 3 it will be seen that as the tabs 18 and 20of the respective package forming panels 12 and 14 are grasped andpulled away from one another, the rupturable seal around the peripheryof the package is opened and the panels 12 and 14 are separated from oneanother exposing the folded adhesive bandage 16. Then, as the tabs 18and 20 are separated from one another as illustrated in FIGURE 4 the endportions 28 and 26 of the bandage 16 are unfolded as they peel from thepanel 14 and the flap 32 respectively, being positioned for applicationto the skin by the natural opening movement imparted to the finger tabs18 and 20. Continued pulling of the tabs 20 and 18 away from one anotherbeyond the degree illustrated in FIGURE 4 completely separates thepackage forming panels from the adhesive bandage 16.

The construction of the bandage package 11 and the interrelation of thepackage parts to the folded adhesive bandage 16 is such that not only isthe manner of opening the package self evident but the furtherutilization of the tabs 18 and 20 as the adhesive bandage positioningmeans for application of the bandage to the skin during opening of thepackage unit 10 is equally self evident,

being the natural and consequential result of opening the package.

While the materials forming the adhesive bandage 16 and the package 11may be any of those conventionally used for these purposes, the panels12 and 14, including the flap 32, forming the package 11 are preferablyformed from readily heat-sealable self-sustaining thermoplastic filmssuch as polyethylene and similar polymeric films so that the rupturableperimeter seal 15 around the package where the panels join one anothermay be provided by a simple heat sealing operation. A preferredthermoplastice film material is matte finished polyethylene, which takesprinting inks well, is readilyheat-sealable to varying heat sealstrengths and which serves as a readily strippable protective liner forcommon pressure sensitive adhesives. The adhesive bandage strip may beof a similar film, or of woven or nonwoven synthetic or natural fibers.Preferably, the bandage strip is also of matte surfaced polyethylene.

While heat-seals can be made readily rupturable by conventionaltechniques, in the illustrated preferred embodiment of FIGURE 1 a heatseal line 34 is provided at the interface of the panels 12 and 14 andbetween the edges of the sealed periphery 15. This heat-seal line 34enables formation of the readily rupturable heat-sealed perimeter 15whereby the panels delaminate readily from one another upon pulling thetabs 18 and 20 apart in an extremely simple manner as will be explainedhereinafter.

The heat-seal line 34 is in reality a radiation-absorptive line patternof India ink or similar material which absorbs sufficient radiation andyields a sufiicient heating effect to cause fusion or welding of thepolyethylene surfaces of the package panels along the edges of the inkedline pattern to the extent that the fusion between the panels issufiicient to produce a sealed joint on each side of the line by simplypressing the panels lightly together in the presence of mild heating, aswith an infra-red radiation source such as a heat lamp or the like, aswill be more particularly described hereinafter in conjunction withFIGURE 13 of the drawing.

The bandage package unit 10 of this invention lends itself readily toquantity production, and one method of producing the package units 10 inquantity is illustrated in FIGURES 5 through 13.

Referring first to FIGURE 5 there is shown a front view of a portion offlexible backing material 36, preferably matte finish polyethylene,unwound from a. roll (not shown) having on the face thereof a coating ofa pressure sensitive adhesive 38. Extending across this web and adheredto the adhesive 38 at predetermined intervals are elongated bandage pador compress forming strips of absorbent material 40. These strips 40 arespaced from one another a distance equal to the sum of the lengths ofthe bandage end portions 26 and 28. Package flap forming strips 42 offlexible material cut to a width somewhat greater than the proper lengthof the flap 32 of the individual bandage package unit and having alength corresponding to the width of the flexible backing materialforming web 36 are adhered to the adhesive surface of the web atpredetermined intervals, these intervals being such that each flapforming strip 42 has one end portion thereof loosely overlying thebandage pad forming strip 40 and the other end thereof terminating atthe approximate juncture of the bandage end portions between adjacentbandage compresses and having its web contacting portion peelablyadhered to the adhesive surface 38 of the web 36. v

The web 36, with the compresses 4t) and the flapforming portions 42adhered to the adhesive surface thereof is then slit into elongatedcontinuous lengths 44 as illustrated in FIGURE 7, the width of whichcorresponds to the width of each individual adhesive bandage 16. Theselengths 44 are then applied alternately to separate webs of packagepanel forming material as illustrated in FIGURE 8.

On the face of the package panel forming web 46 rectangles are formed bythe heat-seal lines 34, which lines are printed or otherwise provided onthe web 46, to provide rows 47 of rectangles across the web atlongitudinally spaced intervals therealong, the rectangles of adjacentrows being arranged in longitudinal columns 49. It will be noted thatone leg of the line 34 is undulating as at 48 rather than straight. Thiscusped undulating line portion 48 creates a more easily rupturable heatsealed area than the other legs of line 34 and forms the tab end of eachpackage panel to be made from this web.

The elongated continuous strips of adhesive bandage 44 are placed withthe adhesive side down on the panel forming web 36 in such manner thatthe end portion 28 of each individual adhesive bandage 16 is centeredwithin the rectangular area formed within each heat-seal line 34. Theend portion 26 of each bandage 16 carrying the package flap 32 thereonand the intermediate portion 30 of each bandage, carrying bandagecompress 24, bridge the space between longitudinally spaced rows 47 ofrectangles formed by the heat-seal lines 34, with a minor portion ofeach compress overlying undulating line portion 48 of each rectangle(note that in FIGURE 8, the first row 47 will be discarded to providethe fold over end for the subsequent row 47). This pattern is repeatedthroughout the length of the web 36 so that each end portion 28 of eachcontinuous strip 44 is adhered to the area within a rectangle formed byline 34 with the remainder of the bandage bridging the gap betweenadjacent rows 47 of rectangles. The Web is thereafter deformed in theportion between rectangular rows 47 to provide a depressed area 50 asshown in FIGURE 9 with the portion of the adhesive bandages straddlingthe depressed portion being raised and forming an inverted V with oneend portion 26 and the package flap 32 forming one leg of the V and thecentral portion 30 and compress 24 of the intermediate portion of eachbandage 16 forming the other leg.

With the web and bandage strip in this state, a fold bar 52 is slippedacross the web between rectangular rows 47 with the end portion 26 andflap portion 32 of each bandage strip across the web being clampedbetween the pieces 54 and 56 of the fold bar. At this point, eachelongated adhesive strip is slit, as by knife cutter blade 58, at thejuncture of the flap 32 and the end portion 28 of the next adjacentadhesive bandage 60; then the fold bar 52 is rolled 360 to the positionshown in FIGURE so that the thus folded bandage strips are centeredwithin the rectangular patterns formed by a continuous heat-seal line34. The fold bar 52 is then withdrawn. Either before or after removal ofthe fold bar, the row 47 of the Web 46 on Which the bandages 16 arefolded is severed by means of cutters 60 or the like from the rowfollowing.

As can be observed in FIGURE 11 each flap 32, being somewhat longer thanits finally desired length, extends considerably outwardly beyond theconfines of the rectangular pattern formed by the heat-seal line 34.Conveniently, a strip of double coated tape (coated with adhesive onboth sides) 62 or the like may be extended across the web 46 totemporarily tack the unattached end portion of the flap 32 onto the web46.

Thereafter, as illustrated in FIGURE 12, the second covering panelforming layer 64 is applied, being held temporarily in place with thedouble coated tape strip 62, and the package heat-sealed.

The heat-seal may be applied in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 13wherein each row or partial row 47, of package units 10, or evenindividual untrimmed package units is fed over a rotating drum or beltor the like 66 while pressed against the surface thereof by springbiased roller means 68 into the path of an infrared lamp source 70 ofintense radiation spaced perhaps a few inches or less away, the doublecoated tape 62 serving to hold the upper package forming panel web 64 inplace as the web advances over the drum.

The lamp 743 may comprise a coiled incandescent filament or other sourceof intense irradiation arranged at the inner focus of a truncatedelliptical reflector as shown, the external focus of which falls along anarrow line corresponding to the generatrix of the surface of the drum66.

After the heat-sealing operation, the row of packages may be cut fromone another and trimmed to shape as individual package units 10 asillustrated in FIGURE 1, the double coated tape 62 and the excessmaterial of flap 32 being disposed of in the trimming operation.

When the multilayer portion of the package 11, illustrated in FIGURE 14,which is namely that portion of the package defined by the top panel 12,the bottom panel 14, and the flap 32 of the panel 12, is subjected toheat sealing in the manner noted hereinbefore it has been found that theheat-seal between the flap 32 and the panel 14 is rather weak andreadily rupturable to permit the panels to separate easily upon pullingof the tabs 18 and 20. However, although formed during the sameoperation, the heat-seal between the panel 12 and its flap 32 is quitestrong by comparison so that for the purpose of opening the package unit16 and applying the adhesive bandage, the flap 32 and panel 12 act as aunit and do not separate whereas flap 32 and panel 14 readily separate.However, it is to be expected that utilizing some other method ofmanufacture, panel 12 and its attached flap 32 could be made from asingle piece of material.

While, as noted hereinbefore, the preferable material for the packageforming panels is polyethylene, other useful plastic films, woven andnonwoven fabrics, and even paper or the like could be used, of course,using appropriate sealing means. Likewise, the same variety of materialscan be used for the bandage backing, it being necessary of course toselect an adhesive compatible with the backing and panel formingmaterial so that the panel forming material may serve as a protectiveliner for the adhesive. The surface characteristics of the package partsserving as the adhesive liners should be about the same with respect torelease from the bandage adhesive so that they will peel with equalfacility as the package is opened.

It is to be understood that the bandage package unit 10 and the methodfor making it herein described are illustrative rather than limiting.Thus, other methods of fabrication could be use along with othermaterials to carry out such fabrication. For example, adhesives, simplescore lines, or even peelable strips could be used to lightly sealablyjoin the package panels in place of heat seals, and the package unitscould be made individually from precu-t lengths of bandage backings andpackage panels.

The package unit itself, as indicated, is subject to considerablevariation in shape and detail, one of these variations contemplatedbeing shown in FIGURES 15 and 16 wherein there is shown a package unit72 comprising a package 74 sealingly housing therewithin a foldedadhesive bandage 76.

The package 74 is composed of first and second package panels '73 and 80respectively, with package panel 78 carrying a flap 82 extending intothe interior of the package in the same manner as that described withrespect to FIGURES l-4. At the end of the package remote from theattachment of the flap 82 to the panel 73, the panels 78 and 80 areprovided with loose finger tabs 84 and 86 respectively by means of whichthe Package is opened to expose the folded adhesive bandage 76.Essentially, the

package 74 of FIGURES 15 and 16 opens and is ready for application inthe same manner as the package unit 10 described in conjunction withFIGURES 1-4. However, in this embodiment, the end portion 88 of thebandage 76 which is adhered to the panel flap 82, the latter serving asthe protective liner for this end portion 88, is about 3 times as longas the end portion 90 which is adhered to the panel so that it is foldedunder the intermediate portion of the adhesive bandage 76 in a pluralityof thick- 7 nesses, as may be readily observed in FIGURE 15. Toaccommodate these multiple end folds, the fiap 82 is likewise ofelongated length and is folded into multiple thicknesses along with endportion 88 to provide a bandage having a relatively long length but yetfitting into a relatively small package and being both exposed for andmanipulatable for application by opening of the package.

Yet another modification is illustrated in FIGURE 17 wherein a packageunit 92 is provided with an adhesive bandage 94 having a pair of foldedends 96. Each panel 98 has integrally or otherwise firmly attachedthereto an internally extending flap 100, serving as adhesive protectiveliner for each folded end portion 96. The flaps 100 are releasablysealed as at 102 to one another to follow their respective panels uponopening of the package unit with finger tabs 104.

Since numerous other minor modifications and changes Within the spiritof the invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a perusalof the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstructions shown and described and it is to be understood that allsuitable modifications which fall within the ambit of the appendedclaims are to be included.

I claim:

1. A sealed, readily openable adhesive bandage package unit comprising apackage having an adhesive bandage situated therewithin in such mannerthat the package serves as a protective liner for the bandage adhesiveand provides a means for applying the bandage during opening of thepackage to expose the bandage, said package comprising a pair of panelsenveloping said bandage and being breakably sealably attached to oneanother about a periphery surrounding said bandage, one of said panelsincluding a flap extending into the interior of said package, at leastone end portion of said bandage being folded under an intermediateportion thereof and having its adhesive surface strippably adhered tosaid flap, the other end portion of said bandage having its adhesivesurface strippably adhered to said other panel, and means on saidpackage for separating said panels from one another about their sealablyattached periphery whereby as the panels are separated from one anotherthe adhesive bandage is unfolded and positioned for application to theskin as the adhesive surfaces thereof are stripped from said panels.

2. In combination, an adhesive bandage comprising a folded adhesivestrip and a combined package and liner therefor, said folded adhesivestrip having pressure sensitive adhesive on one surface thereof at leastat the end portions thereof and having said end portions folded under anintermediate portion of the strip in lapping relation with one another,said combined package and liner comprising covering panels lightly,releasably, sealably joined to one another around a perimeter enclosingsaid folded adhesive strip, at least one of said covering panelsincluding a 'fiap extending between the lapped end portions of saidadhesive strip to which the adhesive surface of one end portion isstrippably adhered, the adhesive surface of the other end portion beingstrippably adhered to'the other of said covering panels, finger tabs onsaid panels projecting beyond said sealed periphery whereby as thecovering panels are separated from one another around their joinedperimeter by pulling apart said finger tabs movement of the end portionsof said adhesive strip is controlled by manipulation of said coveringpanels.

3. An adhesive bandage package unit comprising a readily openablepackage containing a folded adhesive bandage, said package comprisingfirst and second covering panels sealinglyenclosing said bandagetherebetween, said panels being readily, rupturably, sealably joined toone another about a periphery encompassing said adhesive bandage, saidadhesive bandage having its end portions folded under an intermediateportion thereof, the adhesive surface of one end portion of said bandagebeing strippably adhered to said second panel, said first panel having aflap disposed between said folded end portions to which flap theadhesive surface of the other of said folded end portions is strippablyadhered, and finger tabs on said panels disposed exteriorly of saidpackage to facilitate separation of the panels from one another aroundtheir sealably joined periphery, said finger tabs and said flap beingsituated relative to one another to expose and position the bandage forapplication as the finger tabs are utilized to strip the adhesivesurfaces from the package during opening of the package.

4. A sealed, readily openable adhesive bandage package unit comprising apackage having an adhesive bandage situated therewithin in such mannerthat the package serves as a protective liner for the bandage adhesiveand provides a means for applying the bandage during opening of thepackage to expose the bandage, said package comprising a pair of panelsenveloping said bandage and being breakably sealably attached to oneanother about a continuous periphery surrounding said bandage, one ofsaid panels including a flap extending into the interior of saidpackage, one end portion of said bandage being folded under anintermediate portion thereof and having its adhesive surface strippablyadhered to said fiap, the other end portion of said bandage having itsadhesive surface strippably adhered to the inside surface of said otherpanel, and grasping means on said package for separating said panelsfrom one another about said continuous periphery whereby as the panelsare separated from one another the adhesive bandage unfolds forapplication to the skin as the adhesive surfaces thereof are strippedfrom said panels upon separating said panels from one another, saidgrasping means being positioned on said package opposite the attachmentof said flap to said one panel.

5. An adhesive bandage package unit comprising a readily openablepackage containing a folded adhesive bandage, said package comprisingfirst and second covering thermoplastic panels readily rupturablyheat-sealably joined to one another throughout a periphery enclosingsaid adhesive bandage, said adhesive bandage having its end portionsfolded under an intermediate portion thereof, the adhesive surface ofone end portion of said bandage being strippably adhered to said secondpanel, said first panel having a flap disposed between said folded endportions to which fiap the adhesive surface of the other of said foldedend portions is strippably adhered, and finger tabs on said panelsdisposed exteriorly of said package to facilitate separation of thepanels from one another around their sealably joined periphery, saidfinger tabs and said flap being situated to expose and position thebandage for application as the finger tabs are utilized to strip theadhesive surfaces from the package during opening of the package.

6. An adhesive bandage package unit comprising a readily openablepackage containing a folded adhesive bandage, said package comprisingfirst and second covering thermoplastic panels readily rupturablyheat-sealably joined to one another throughout a periphery enclosingsaid adhesive bandage, said adhesive bandage having its end portionsfolded under an intermediate portion thereof, the adhesive surface ofone end portion of said bandage being strippably adhered to said secondpanel, said first panel having a flap disposed between said folded endportions to which flap the adhesive surface of the other of said foldedend portions is strippably adhered, and finger tabs on said panelsdisposed exteriorly of said package to facilitate separation of thepanels from one another around their sealably joined periphery, saidfinger tabs and said flap being situated to expose and position thebandage for application as the finger tabs are utilized to strip theadhesive surfaces from the package during opening of the package, saidfinger tabs extending beyond said sealed 9 10 periphery a: one end ofsaid package and said flap de- 2,752,038 Abbott June 26, 1956 pendingfrom said first panel from a position on said 2,840,080 Clark June 24,1958 periphery opposite said finger tabs. FOREIGN PATENTS ReferencesCited in the file of this patent 5 662,591 France Mar. 25, 1929 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,027'844 m y p 1958 2,402,982 Steenbergen July 2, 1946

1. A SEALED, READILY OPENABLE ADHESIVE BANDAGE PACKAGE UNIT COMPRISING APACKAGE HAVING AN ADHESIVE BANDAGE SITUTED THEREWITHIN IN SUCH MANNERTHAT THE PACKAGE SERVES AS A PROTECTIVE LINER FOR THE BANDAGE ADHESIVEAND PROVIDES A MEANS FOR APPLYING THE BANDAGE DURING OPENING OF THEPACKAGE TO EXPOSE THE BANDAGE, SAID PACKAGE COMPRISING A PAIR OF PANELSENVELOPING SAID BANDAGE AND BEING BREAKABLY SEALABLY ATTACHED TO ONEANOTHER ABOUT A PERIPHERY SURROUNDING SAID BANDAGE, ONE OF SAID PANELSINCLUDING A FLAP EXTENDING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID PACKAGE, AT LEASTONE END PORTION OF SAID BANDAGE BEING FOLDED UNDER AN INTERMEDIATEPORTION OF SAID BANDAGE BEING FOLDED HESIVE SURFACE STRIPPABLY ADHEREDTO SAID FLAP, THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID BANDAGE HAVING ITS ADHESIVESURFACE STRIPPABLY ADHERED TO SAID OTHER PANEL, AND MEANS ON SAIDPACKAGE FOR SEPARATING SAID PANELS, AND MEANS ON ABOUT THEIR SEALABLYATTACHED PERIPHERY WHEREBY AS THE PANELS ARE SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHERTHE ADHESIVE BANDAGE IS UNFOLDES AND POSITIONED FOR APPLICATION TO THESKIN AS THE ADHESIVE SURFACES THEREOF ARE STRIPPED FROM SAID PANELS.